Somewhere I have never travelled
by Tsuriko
Summary: "Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up" -James A. Baldwin. People who would never meet if it wasn't for the end of the world, or in other circumstances would pass, without noticing each other, will find what it takes to survive...
1. Chapter 1

Many thanks to: Brilcrist fro Deviantart for allowing her lovely image of Daryl for the cover of this story.  
Find her on Deviantart!

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The forest during the night used to be the safest place on earth – the chance of meeting anyone who would be willing to mug or stab you was next to zero, comparing to big cities. There you could never know who is friend or foe, and here, among the hundred-year-old trees it was always clear. But it was all changed. The Walkers were rather easy to figure out, but humans – you could never tell now. Looter, or just a lost soul, you had to hit first and ask later.  
Daryl checked the trail. It was light, even and shallow, a child or maybe a light-weight grownup, definitely not a walker, which would leave rough, smudgy footprints. After a second thought it must have been a grownup, maybe a woman wearing tracker shoes. The trail seemed to head towards their camp, so Daryl took the crossbow off his shoulder and put on an arrow. Rick told them about other groups, and Randall was a fair warning about trying to make friends. He swiftly followed the trail, , which ended just a hundred feet from the camp – he could see Carl sitting next to Lori, and Rick discussing something with Hershel. And a small, crouching figure next to a bush, gazing right at the camp. It was dark, but the man could see some details: a dark-purple hoodie, jeans that must have been blue once and heavy-duty shoes which left a track so clear to a trained eye. The figure could have been a teenager, or most probably, a woman, though this didn't mean she wasn't dangerous. Daryl tried to come closer, but it seemed their guest wasn't deaf too and when Daryl grazed a bush, which rustled, the figure stiffened and seemed to back off. This was the moment.  
- Stop right there, pal. Hands where I see them – said Daryl out loud, to be sure the trespasser hears him. He sure heard, because instead of just standing up and behaving like a good prisoner, he instantly nipped to the side. Daryl took this as a"no, thank you" to his peaceful offer of turning in and shot where he thought the trespasser was. He heard a loud cry and a gasp, when something fell – he could hear the stomp of a body hitting the ground. He rushed to where the trespasser fell, noticing a few stains of fresh blood. He also heard the camp aroused, and minding the fact that who he saw may not have been alone here, he shouted "Here!" and went to check if the chick was dead. She was lying a few meters away, and there was a lot of blood around her neck. Damn, he really wanted to know if she was alone here and dead don't speak. They walk and moan, but don't speak.  
Daryl kneeled warily, keeping in mind that this may be just a trick, and he really wasn't wrong. The second he knelt, the woman moved and kicked him. He was ready though, and her plans were spoilt because what was meant to break his knee, just grazed his calf and Daryl simply grabbed her hood, swearing. Feeling his hand pulling her back she unzipped the hoodie and wanted to leave it behind, like a lizard shedding its tail, but Daryl was too smart for this trick. He dropped the hoodie, but then she tried to take a knife strapped to her leg, but before she could reach it, Daryl leaped forward, catching her in half. They fell to the ground, and the woman turned out to be a real match: she didn't scratch or bite to set herself loose, she fought like hell. She wrung Daryl's hand when he tried to hold her down, but she was at least thirty pounds lighter and hurt – blood was flowing fast from the wound on her neck.  
- Stop struggling, you stupid b… - he didn't had the chance to finish, as she simply head-butted him. This was where Daryl drew a line, and simply socked her. The girl stopped struggling, as he wished – she was out cold.  
- What the hell is happening here? – asked Rick, who stood a few feet away, with a gun, Hershel and Glenn behind him, all looking at the blood-covered body beneath Daryl.  
- Is she dead? – asked Glenn to whom the amount of blood around seemed too much. Daryl let go of the woman's wrists and stood up.  
- I'm fine, thanks for asking – he sneered –She was prying around the camp. - There won't be any case if she bleeds out – Hershel kneeled beside the girl, who seemed approximately the age of his elder daughter, Maggie. She was much smaller though, red-haired and freckled, now all covered in blood that came from a wound.  
- Bring me the first aid kit, she's bleeding a lot – said Hershel - You're lucky you didn't hit her a bit to the right, you'd pierce her neck  
- She's the lucky one I didn't have time to aim right! – retorted Daryl – She was poking around the camp and I see another Randall case here, guys.  
- We'll see, because we can't kill her now – said Rick – Let's wait till she's conscious again, and hear what she has to say. You should stop that bleeding too, Daryl – he pointed to his face. Daryl felt his face, and saw blood when looked at his hand. Suddenly he realized that his nose was bleeding heavily and the pain came from there. In the heat of the moment he didn't feel it, but the woman smashed his nose.  
- Bitch – he murmured, examining the nose. It didn't seem to be broken, she didn't have enough strength or a good aim, but it bled rather badly.  
- You're next on my chair, son – said Hershel, wrapping the unconscious girl in his jacket and allowing Rick to take her to camp. Daryl sneered angrily.  
- She'll be nothing but trouble – he said, but didn't argue.

Half an hour later, after taking care of both the young woman's shoulder, Hershel checked out Daryl's nose, ensuring that it's not broken, but will hurt awhile. They searched the woman. She has messenger bag, and inside they found pain meds, some chocolate bars and a pocket knife. On the girl herself they found a small caliber gun and a hunting knife strapped to her thigh. They took that away, and only then they wanted to give their guest smelling salts, but it turned out they didn't have any.  
- Just slap her, looking at Daryl she can take it quite fine – shrugged Maggie, and just followed her own advice. The girl started to regain consciousness, coughing. And the first thing she saw was a man holding a gun to her head. It must have been an impulse, because she tried reaching the knife holster, which was empty. Rick just poked her arm with the barrel.  
- No pointy things there – he said - Now, lady, tell me who are you, and why were you observing our camp.  
- Take your gun out of my face or screw you! – she said with a strange, foreign accent, her teeth clenched. Rick looked at her. The redhead girl was trembling with anger, but too weak at the moment to hurt him if she tried, and her knife and anything she could use as a weapon was taken away from her when Carol searched her rather thorough. If putting the gun away was a way to make her talk, so be it. There was T-Dog and Daryl a few steps behind him, and Maggie, standing a bit further. So he put the gun in the holster. The girl seemed surprised, as if she expected him to hit her or maybe even worse, and looked at them as a deer would, when a car which was about to hit it started slowing down.  
- So, now the gun is out of your face, so could you please tell me who you are and what were you doing outside of the camp? – he asked. The girl rolled her big brown eyes from one man to the next, and back.  
- Éireann Corey – she said, leaning on her elbow. Everyone understood she was introducing herself.  
- What kind of a name is that? – Daryl butted in.  
- Welsh – she replied sharply – Want my family tree drawn out for you?  
- Drop it, you two – Rick cut their lip off before it could turn to something louder – Are you a part of some group? Are you a scout?  
- That sounded serious, Ranger Rick – she looked at him with disbelief, but the look Rick gave her discouraged her from being sarcastic again - No, I'm here alone.  
- How come? This place is Miles away from any reasonable town.  
- I'm from Senoia – she replied without any hesitation. Rick looked at Maggie as if checking Éireann's statement, but Maggie nodded that there was a town of that name nearby.  
- What are you doing here? – he pursued.  
- I was trying to get to Newman, search for food and water, maybe a shelter if the place wasn't overrun. I stumbled across you first. I'm trying to keep off roads, but recently there's tons of dead meat here also – she went along with the interrogation.  
- Why were you hiding? – she snorted at first, but they looked rather oblivious, so she explained.  
- Last time I came across a group they said I could have food and protection, but the price was laying on my back when they wished, and when I passed the offer they tried to charge me anyway - she shrugged, as if she was explaining that the shy was blue.  
- How do you know we're different? – asked T-Dog.  
- I wanted to make sure, but this asshole shot me! – she nodded at Daryl, who drew up, his mouth twisted in an angry scowl.  
- You were trying to gut me!  
- That was after you took me for target practice! – she replied angrily, jumping up and pointing her finger at him - And I thought you wanted to rape me!  
- I wouldn't try even if you lay there naked – he snapped.  
- Shut it you two, again – Rick cut in before Éireann thought of some sort of a nasty comeback, just in cast standing in between her, and Daryl. She was picking a fight and he felt that Daryl wouldn't act gentlemen-like and allow her to order him around.  
- So you are alone? Completely? – asked Hershel, judging her stature. She seemed to be a cat which imagined itself a tiger.  
- Yeah, and I won't bother you if you let me go. I took care of myself long enough.  
- You're wounded. That lessens your chances alone – Hershel said looking at Rick with a question drawn out in his face. Éireann also raised her eyebrows.  
- Alone?  
- With other people you could have a better chance. No charge of the kind you were speaking of, if you play nicely with others and share chores like cooking, washing and whatever you can do – he said at last. Éireann leaned her head, as dogs do when they hear a new sound.  
- Why do you want me in your group? Aren't you scared I'm a murdering maniac?  
- We hope not – admitted Hershel, which made both Daryl and Éireann grunt sarcastically almost at the same moment. That was some kind of a weak hope.  
- You got so close to the camp without anyone hearing you. This might be a damn useful skill, and you'll know there is someone to watch out for you. That doesn't mean we fully trust you, but it's a mutual benefit.  
- So, you propose a treaty? – she grinned, shaking her head. Rick nodded. Éireann thought for a moment, and raised her arms in a gesture of surrender.  
- Fine, if you are willing to take the chances, so am I. Call me Erin, Ranger Rick. You have a name or can I call you that? – she right at this moment she could not possibly understand why suddenly everyone was trying not to burst into laughter, except for the man speaking with her, who turned red.

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Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up -James A. Baldwin


	2. Chapter 2

Rick left Corey with Hershel and his daughter, as the elderly man wanted to take a look on Erin's cheek – the blow which she received from Daryl left a significant, black and blue bruise which will probably stay for quite a few days. Beside that and a bandage on her neck she seemed healthy, maybe a little too thin but none of them got enough food either. Rick wanted to tell everyone about their agreement, but before that he thought that talking to Daryl would be a good idea. The man still seemed wary at best about their new teammate, and Rick learned that sometimes it's worth trusting someone gut. So after he and Daryl left he simply asked.  
- So, what do you think? – Rick said. Daryk stopped, looked over his shoulder at Hershel checking Corey's bandage and making her swallow some antibiotics, which she did what a grimace, like a child swallowing a bitter syrup.  
- She's going to be trouble – he just said, shouldering his crossbow.  
- Anything to prove your feeling? – inquired Rick. He wanted to trust a man who saved the group more than a few times, but he himself asked Erin to join them, and it wouldn't look well if he was the one who starts showing distrust.  
- Not really – Daryl scratched his cheek – Just wondering how the hell did she get here, all alone and with no decent weapon. How much ammo did she have on her?  
- A few rounds and one extra magazine .  
- Food? Water? – Daryl continued and Rick suddenly realizing that his friend was right: there were too few things in her bag that would allow her to survive. He sighed –maybe the decision was too rash and not well well-thought-out? But he didn't feel like proposing her to stay, only to kick a living soul out of the camp an hour later, so he looked at Daryl and said.  
- Watch her for a few days, okay?  
- What? – Daryl didn't know if he should laugh in Rick's face or punch him – I don't wanna' have anything to do with this redhead drip.  
- All I'm asking is to listen to what she has to say and figure out if it makes any sense at all, and if not, we'll have make a decision what to do with her. She sneaked up on us rather easily… - Rick paused, and this short moment of silence put in the picture more than he could wish.  
- Fine, but I told you this would be another Randall case – he said – You have to stop treating people like stray puppies. Dogs tend to be grateful, people don't.  
- We'll see what she has to say. Up till now everyone is rather happy to have a new face around. Someone who is alive, someone we can gain and not loose. I don't want to take it away unless I really have to – he whispered, seeing that Maggie had already taken a liking to Erin, and Lori was the first to invite her to sit down and have something to eat. It seemed to get their minds of the loss of Hershel's farm and people left behind: a new face, someone who joined the group. Gain, not loss. Daryl nodded reluctantly, deciding to sit opposite Erin, now getting a good chance to examine their new group member. She was thin-boned, tomboyish type and the impression was deepened by her dark-colored trekking clothes. She was rather good-looking, then exactly pretty – and somewhat lacking womanly curves. It seemed almost impossible that this girl survived all alone in the woods, with no food, water or solid shelter, but there she was. The women chatter with her for quite some time and Daryl grew impatient of waiting for the story she should be serving them right now, and opened his mouth to simply ask the right questions, when Lori helped him out.  
- So, how on earth did you manage to get here all by yourself? – the woman asked, and even Carl ceased to be sleepy when there was a chance to hear a thrilling story of a daring escape from the walking dead. Erin smiled faintly and started to play with the empty coffee cup.  
- It's not much of a story – she said.  
- It has to be, if you really were all alone there – said Daryl, speaking for the first time during supper. Till now he was sitting and tending to the newly made arrows' fletching.  
- I was on a survival camp with a couple of friends when everything happened. We wanted to get back to Atlanta, but when the emergency broadcasts stopped we've decided to lay low. There were seven of us at that time.  
- What happened to them? – asked Glenn.  
- Three weeks ago our camp was attacked, and we got separated – her voice was calm and cool, like a reporter commenting on the weather, but her hands toyed with the cup nervously, betraying her true emotions - I managed to get away with one of my friends and we tried looking for the others for some time, but the tracks ended in a corpse, either eaten or trying to eat us. And then… - she paused, her small hands clutched the metal cup – Thomas got bit, and died because of the fever, though I tried everything to make it go down. He died, or at least I think he was dead, since in the morning… - she paused. Silence fell, not because no one knew what happened next, but because everyone did.  
- He got up – T-Dog finished for her, and Erin only nodded.  
-And I got scared and ran away.  
- And left a walker behind your back – Daryl shook his head in disbelief. Erin gave him a look that could turn ice into water. Still everyone was looking at her with anxiety, so she sighted and continued.  
- It's simple to stick a screwdriver in a stranger's eye socket. It's either you die or he dies. But I knew Thomas for six years, I got drunk at his wedding. I just couldn't. I know I should have put him down, but I just could not. Would not maybe.  
- We've lost people too – said Carol gently, looking at Daryl with a mild reprove, and a remainder that putting down a walker that used to be a friend was what they've been through too.  
- In the beginning I wasn't even sure they are dead, or not.  
- First walker I saw was only half of the body, so I'm not sure it could be called a walker – added Rick, remembering the first corpse that snapped at him from the ground – But they're dead. We saw a scan of an infected person in the CDC. This disease, whatever it is, restarts the most primeval parts of the brain, and only those. Once reanimated, all the humanity is lost – he said, and suddenly, after the atmosphere got dense as a pudding again, Erin shook her head and snickered nervously.  
- Gosh, that's rather a relief – she said, and everyone stared at her in silent bewilderment. Erin combed her red hair with fingers, and explained, almost getting hiccups from the nervous giggling she tried to control, cut couldn't, as if the tension she lived in for the past weeks just started to wear off.  
– I was wondering all the time if I killed sick people, or are they really dead. So, you just ensured my better sleep – she said, ending the sentence with a silenced hiccup. Someone passed her another cup of tea, and they sat for a long moment in silence, interrupted only by rustling of the treetops moved by the cool breeze, and scraping of Daryl's knife against a piece of wood. It was such a strange reaction to knowing that all those people were dead, not ill as everyone would wish, but Erin seemed to be simply glad she had no living soul to weight on her conscience. And when the silence became heavy, Beth asked a simple, straightforward question.  
- So what did you do before?  
- Before - repeated Erin, as if trying to ensure the understood the girl correctly – I was a bartender at one of the clubs in Senoia – she almost laughed again when she saw people looking at her as if she told them she was the US president. She did seem a bundle of surprises.  
- A bartender? So please, explain, how did you end up on survival camp? And almost manage to break Daryl's nose? – inquired Glenn, ignoring the dirty look the aforementioned gave him. Erin was a small woman, and yet Daryl had to knock her out cold to restrain her, so all were quite interested in this aspect of her story too.  
- My brother was in the military, and when I got the job he had mixed feeling about me coming back alone in the middle of the night from a bar full of drunk men… So he offered to pay for a self-defense course run by one of his own instructors. I got on so well with people there we started going on survival camps together. This is why I survived, I simply knew how and wasn't alone, at least in the beginning – she well remembered her brother's expression: worried when she had told him about the job, and stern when he forced her to attend the course, and how unexpectedly she felt at home with all those guys in sweaty shirts and girls with penknives in their pockets instead of lipstick. She smiled to memories.  
- What happened to your brother? – asked Lori, maybe hoping that Erin might know something that will get them all closer to safety, to some military fort that hasn't been overrun. Tt seems the wasn't the only one to hope for that, yet Erin quickly crushed their hopes.  
- I went camping and don't really know what happened to my brother or his family – she said biting her lower lip. Lori seemed to touch a tender string, because Erin had a family, and didn't know what happened: did they escape, are they alive or did they join the walkers? The atmosphere dropped again, so Rick gave a call to get some rest, taking the first shift on watch with Daryl, while Glenn and Maggie volunteered to watch till' morning. Everyone was tired, Carl basically fell asleep on Lori's lap while the group was talking to Erin. The girl herself just rolled up her torn hoodie to make for a pillow, and when Carol came to get her a blanket she was already sleeping soundly – after all she almost gutted a man, got shot from a crossbow and punched in the face on top of all.  
To Rick her trustful sleep was a good sign, and he believed her story was true - she spoke directly, without significant pauses which would implicate making anything up. He is – or was at least – a policeman and he could judge when someone wasn't telling the truth. The one and only moment she did hesitate was when she mentioned the incident with the other group, but she might simply be unwilling to speak about some personal, or brutal details – he remembered Randall's story about raping women and he shivered to think that could have happened to her.  
Still after the camp became silent he asked Daryl for a talk, asking asked rather frankly if he thought keeping her was a good idea. Daryl thought for a moment, remembering every little gesture she has made during the campfire talk.  
- I think so – he admitted reluctantly. He wasn't the Welsh girl biggest fan, but he also thought her story sounded sensible. Plus he didn't plan to take her for her word on survival skills and test them out when next day during a supply run, an idea he shared with Rick. And to his contentment, the policeman agreed to it with a sigh of relief.


End file.
